What does Renhold Parish Council do?
The Parish Council looks after issues of direct concern to Renhold and is responsible for a number of local services including bus shelters, parish notice boards, roadside seating, dog waste bins, litter bins, grass cutting and maintenance of the War Memorial. In addition, the Parish Council works in partnership with Bedford Borough Council on matters that are their responsibility but affect Renhold, such as environmental health, footpath maintenance, public rights of way and maintaining highways.
Renhold Parish Council also considers and responds to local planning proposals concerning residential properties and business premises within the settlement area of Renhold and any other planning matters that might affect the lives and well-being of the residents.
As holders of Public Office, Councillors are bound by the 7 'Nolan Principles' which are the basis of the ethical standards expected of public office holders.
Who pays for Renhold Parish Council?
The cost of the services provided by the Parish Council is met by a special budget known as the 'parish precept'. This budget is reviewed in detail annually in January and is discussed and agreed, and then the monies are collected through the Bedford Borough Council Tax system. In addition, the Parish Council regularly submits bids for grant funding from various organisations and local authorities.
All Parish Councillors carry out their duties voluntarily and at no cost to local residents.
Who is on Renhold Parish Council?
The Parish Councillors are residents of the Parish of Renhold, and like all other local authorities (i.e. Bedford Borough Council), Parish Councillors are elected every four years. However, if there are the same number (or fewer) nominations than there are places on the Council, no formal elections are held. If there are fewer elected Councillors than places, then the Parish Councillors can co-opt other people to fill the vacant seats until the next election.
As well as the Councillors, there is a Clerk to the Parish Council who is also the Responsible Financial Officer and who works part time doing 9 hours a week. The Clerk is usually the first point of contact and deals with the administrative business of the Council, and also maintains the financial records.
How often does the Parish Council meet and where?
At present, Renhold Parish Council usually meets 10 times a year to enable business to be transacted efficiently. Dates of meetings are posted on the seven notice boards around Renhold, and may be found on this page and other websites and social media pages. The meetings are held in a variety of venues to facilitate attendance by residents living in different parts of the village. Meetings usually start at 7:00pm and planning matters are dealt with as early as possible in the meetings for the convenience of residents. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, we've been meeting 'virtually' (i.e. on line) using 'Zoom' and we publish the link so that any member of the public can join using their computer/mobile phone/tablet. Business as usual - just by a different means!
How can I find out what goes on at the Parish Council meetings?
Members of the public are entitled to, and are invited to attend the meetings and raise matters of interest in the agenda item 'Open Forum'. If you have a particular concern that you would like resolved or to be placed on the agenda for a forthcoming meeting for discussion by the Parish Council as a whole, you should contact the Clerk or a member of the Council.
However, if you are unable to attend a meeting, the minutes are a public document and will be available after the subsequent meeting, once they have been agreed. This can be done by contacting the Clerk directly and requesting a copy, or a copy can be downloaded from here.